Chapter-45

Author's POV,

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. Tear escaping her eyes, tracing a glistening path down her cheek, a silent testament to her conflicting emotions.

But the resentment simmered just beneath the surface, a hot ember waiting to burst into flame. The memory of his possessiveness, the veiled threats regarding Shaurya, sent a fresh jolt of fear through her. She clenched her fists, the scratchy fabric of the hospital gown bunching beneath her fingers.

She didn't want to wake him. In a way, it was a silent rebellion – a refusal to rely on the man who held her captive.

Pushing aside the tangled emotions, Pihu knew she couldn't bear the pain any longer. She didn't want to wake him, a flimsy excuse her subconscious offered to avoid confronting the raw vulnerability she felt at seeing his exhaustion. She gritted her teeth, willing herself to endure, to avoid waking him. Yet, with each agonizing pulse, the resistance crumbled.

Shame burned hot in her throat as she conceded defeat. A soft whimper escaped her lips, barely audible over the rhythmic beeping. "R... Rudra," her voice emerged as a hoarse whisper, laced with a vulnerability she hated to expose.

Rudra, ever alert, even in sleep, bolted awake in an instant. His dark eyes, usually sharp and calculating, softened with concern as they met her tear-streaked face. He was beside her in a heartbeat.

"What happened, Pearl?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Pihu, drained by the emotional turmoil and the gnawing pain, managed a single choked word, pointing weakly towards the bandaged area around her gunshot wound. "It's hurt."

The harsh buzz of the call button jolted Rudra into action. He brushed a stray tear from Pihu's cheek with his thumb, his touch surprisingly gentle. "Don't worry, Pearl," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent a surprising warmth through her. "I'll get help right away."

The concern in his eyes, a stark contrast to his usual steely gaze, sent a flicker of something unfamiliar through Pihu. Was it gratitude? Relief? She couldn't quite place it. But for a fleeting moment, the walls she'd built around her heart crumbled just a fraction.

As he pressed the button, his gaze lingered on her face, a silent promise etched in its depths. A promise of protection, perhaps, or maybe just the assurance that her pain wouldn't be ignored. Whatever it was, it calmed the storm raging within her, replacing it with a fragile sense of security.

The doctor arrived swiftly, a whirlwind of efficiency and tired empathy. He examined Pihu with practiced hands, his voice calm and reassuring as he explained the pain was a normal consequence of the injury. As he adjusted her medication, Rudra stood by her side, a silent guardian, his presence a constant hum in the sterile room.

As the doctor left, Pihu's gaze fell on Rudra, her emotions betraying a different story than she wanted to admit. Despite her inner turmoil, she found herself unable to resist. "Please, don't leave me alone," she implored, her voice tinged with fear and longing.

Rudra sensed her fear and sat beside her, taking her hand in his. "Don't worry, Pearl. I'm not going anywhere. You sleep," he reassured her, his voice a soothing balm to her troubled mind.

As the medication began to take effect, Pihu felt her eyes growing heavy once again. She fought against the tide of sleep, wanting to stay awake a little longer, as she don't want to dream about the dreadful event of the attack. But the drugs were relentless, and soon she succumbed to their embrace, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

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Meanwhile, deep within the bowels of Rudra's mansion in Paris

The single bulb cast grotesque shadows across the damp stone walls of the basement. Rudraansh, suspended from the ceiling by his wrists bound high above him, looked like a tortured puppet. Two days of relentless torture had left their mark – his face a mask of dried blood and sweat, his once-proud posture replaced by a pathetic slump. Yet, despite the pain etched on his features, a twisted smirk played on his lips.

The metallic clang of the cell door opening echoed through the chamber. Veer sauntered in, his movements deliberate, a cruel amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Long time no see, Veer," Rudraansh rasped, his voice hoarse. "Nice to meet you."

Two days had passed since Veer's last encounter with Rudraansh. Those days were spent managing Rudra's business empire while Rudra himself remained by Pihu's side in the hospital. However, Veer ensured Rudraansh wouldn't enjoy a peaceful slumber. His men made sure of that. Now, a cruel amusement flickered in Veer's eyes as he sneered, "You'll be regretting those words in a few minutes."

Ignoring the greeting, Veer cut straight to the chase. "Enough with the theatrics. Tell me, where is that coward Yashvardhan hiding?"

Rudraansh, still clinging to his delusional cockiness, chuckled weakly. "Well, first things first. Did my sis-in-law die?"

Veer's jaw clenched tight, his features hardening with a surge of cold fury. He slammed his fist down on the makeshift chair in front of Rudraansh, the metal groaning under the impact.

Rudraansh continued, oblivious to the storm he'd brewed. "Oh, looks like my sweet sis-in-law didn't die. Good. I can have my fun with her after I get out of here, after I kill Rudra. Just like I enjoyed your best friend's precious Flower."

The last word hung heavy in the air, a chilling reminder of a past atrocity. Veer's grip tightened on the chair, his knuckles turning white. He took a deep breath, his voice a low, controlled growl.

"You think your useless father can save you?" Veer said, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you can even dream of touching anything precious to us again? Looks like my men did a thorough job on your body, but clearly not on your twisted mind. Don't worry, Rudraansh, I have plenty of ways to make you understand the meaning of true dread. Slow, agonizing dread that will make you wish you were dead a thousand times over."

Veer's voice was a low rumble, devoid of the initial rage. It sent shivers down Rudraansh's spine, a stark contrast to the amusement that had flickered in Veer's eyes moments before. The smirk vanished from Rudraansh's face, replaced by a flicker of genuine fear. He had taunted the beast, and now the beast was ready to play.

Veer's twisted grin widened as he stepped closer to Rudraansh, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. "Let's see how cocky you are after this," he muttered, his voice laced with malice.

With a swift motion, Veer produced a whip. Its cruel design – leather interwoven with vicious barbs – sent a fresh wave of terror through Rudraansh. The first strike ripped through his flesh, a searing pain that ignited a scream that echoed off the walls. With each subsequent lash, blood welled on Rudraansh's back, painting the air with a metallic tang. His body convulsed in agony, his screams morphing into ragged gasps.

Veer's pleasure was evident in the glint of his eyes. He tossed the whip aside and picked up a heated metal rod. The cherry-red glow illuminated the chamber with an ominous light. As the searing heat met Rudraansh's exposed skin, the smell of burning flesh filled the air. He shrieked, a sound so raw and primal it scraped against the soul.

The torture continued. Bone-crushing blows from the rod were followed by the excruciating bite of pliers. Teeth shattered, nails were ripped out, and chunks of flesh were torn away with a sickening squelch. Through the haze of pain, Rudraansh pleaded for mercy, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

But Veer wasn't done yet. With a sadistic grin, he produced a jar containing several deadly scorpions, their venom potent enough to kill. He released them onto Rudraansh's body, the venomous creatures scuttling with horrifying speed. Each sting felt like a white-hot ember erupting on his skin, fire coursing through his veins. His screams turned into choked gasps as the agonizing waves of pain overwhelmed him.

As the venom began to take hold, Rudraansh's body started to betray him. The intense heat he felt moments ago morphed into a chilling coldness that crept from his extremities inward. His vision blurred, the edges of the room dissolving into darkness.

Just as darkness threatened to claim him, a jolt of pain ripped through him, jolting him back to a horrifying awareness. Veer had intervened, ensuring Rudraansh wouldn't succumb to the scorpion's venom... yet.

"Don't you dare die on me so easily, Rudraansh," Veer sneered, while throwing cold water on him to wake up,Tell me where that coward Yashvardhan is hiding."

Despite the excruciating torture, Rudraansh rasped through parched lips, his voice barely a whisper, "I... I don't know." His defiance, however, was a mere flicker in the face of overwhelming pain.

Veer's face contorted in fury for a moment, but then a cold smile returned. Rudraansh's unwavering denial scraped against his already frayed nerves. It was clear – Rudraansh truly didn't know about Yashvardhan's whereabouts.

"Enjoy the pain, Rudraansh," he taunted, his voice dripping with venomous satisfaction. "Savor every moment of agony, for your suffering has only just begun. Just wait till we get hold of your precious papa too. The fun will truly begin then."

With a final, chilling laugh, Veer slammed the cell door shut. But before he left, he issued a cold command to his guards, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Keep him alive. We'll continue this little game when he's on the brink again."

As the scorpions continued their relentless assault, Rudraansh's body writhed in torment. His once-proud features contorted into a mask of agony, sweat beading on his brow like a glistening halo of despair. His defiance, a mere flicker moments ago, had sputtered out, replaced by a whimper that escaped his parched lips with each agonizing pulse. In the depths of his despair, he realized that there would be no mercy, no reprieve. Veer had unleashed hell upon him, and there was no escape.

Meanwhile in another cell

Shaurya lay huddled in the corner, his body wracked with pain. The beating he'd received two days ago had left him battered and bruised, his ribs screaming in protest with every shallow breath. Hunger gnawed at his insides, his throat parched with thirst.

Regret gnawed at him, a relentless predator stripping him bare. He had failed Pihu. Not only had he been unable to protect her, but his impulsive actions had put her directly in harm's way. The image of her crumpled form on the blood-slick pavement flashed in his mind, a horrifying tableau etched into his memory.

All he craved was a sliver of information, a whisper about Pihu's fate. He knew Rudra wouldn't hesitate to torment him, but the dread for Pihu gnawed at him far more viciously. What if Rudra, in his twisted rage, punished Pihu for her escape attempt? Trapped in a lightless cell, Shaurya's mind spun, desperately searching for a way out, a way to reach Pihu.

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To be continued....

Happy Holi everyone